The Issue of Agricultural Pollution - Research Paper Example

Agricultural Pollution School               Agricultural Pollution Agricultural pollution is often thought of as something that affects only the rural areas or the crops on the farm and the people who grow them. However, agricultural pollution is the one reason why large tracts of land become unusable after some time, why certain groups of organisms die from lack of plant food, and why some people develop cancers or particular illnesses. Agricultural pollution is usually caused by monoculture of plants as well as other wasteful and faulty farming methods that usually lead to the destruction of the soil, the excessive use of insecticides and the exposure of humans to any of the chemicals used on the farm. Agricultural pollution damages not only the ecosystem but also human health, and the solution to this problem is a combination of methods from the joint efforts of individuals, social organizations and the government. Problems There has been much evidence which shows that the problems in the United States concerning agricultural pollution are actually brought about by the very nature of the structure of American farms as well as the nature of the prevailing government policies concerning agricultural lands and farming. Such policies actually favor large farm size and, more importantly, crop monocultures. It is there monocultures, especially corn monocultures, which cause the greatest harm to agricultural lands. As imperatives to diversify crops disappear from the context of American agriculture, what is slowly replacing this is the reward for monoculture, resulting in a lack of rotation and eventually leading to a high degree of vulnerability of the agroecosystem to high inputs of harmful chemicals (Altieri, 2000). The chemicals used in very large farms where monoculture is practiced are actually the ones that become pollutants to the agricultural lands (Altieri, 2000). The explanation is pretty simple. If there is only one type or two types of crops used on a farm, then it is inevitable that pests would easily build up on this type of crops because it would be easy for them to adapt to them. Moreover, considering that the farms on which a single type of crop is planted are large farms, then the attack of pests is also on a wide scale basis. Thus, a large number of pests would also require a large amount of pesticide. The nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus contents of these pesticides are actually the ones responsible for the pollution of the farm itself, of its soil and of the nearby water reserve systems. Moreover, one variety of corn, the genetically engineered Bt corn, may have reduced the number of pests that infest it thus reducing the amount of pesticide as well, but the treatment of the Bt corn seed using neonicotinoid insecticides has become the issue instead. According to a 2012 report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, these neonicotinoid insecticides are responsible for the collapse of honeybee colonies and other cases of mortality concerning other species of bees. The real problem with this is that “35 percent of U.S. crops rely on bees and other pollinators to be productive” (Expanding Monoculture, 2012). Thus, even if such a genetically modified crop such as Bt corn is planted to offset the usual pests that bother traditional corn crops, there will still be problems concerning the type of chemical used to treat this genetically modified crop. As always, it is clearly evident that there is always a problem with monoculture. As implied from the previously stated information, the planting of Bt corn can eventually even prove to be extremely harmful to the planting of all other agricultural crops (Expanding Monoculture, 2012). Another problem concerning agricultural pollution is the use of new types of herbicides. Some large-scale farmers decide to use genetically engineered crops that are herbicide-tolerant, especially those that are resistant to 2,4-D and dicamba, which are two of the oldest known herbicides. Thus, considering the resistance of crops to these chemicals, farmers began thinking that they would be a good reason for them to keep using these chemicals or to start using them. What they do not realize is that these herbicides are even worse than glyphosate, which is the major component of very old herbicides, and that these herbicides are extremely volatile, thus, they easily spread not only to the whole farm but also to nearby vegetation as well. Moreover, these herbicides, particularly 2,4-D, may increase the risk of cancer in humans. Furthermore, the use of herbicides and their tendency to affect local fruits and vegetables is estimated at “75 to 400 times greater” because of extreme volatility (Increasing Herbicide Use, 2012). Nevertheless, one cannot simply avoid the problem just by reducing the volatility of these chemicals. The damage brought about by herbicides to nearby vegetation may also eventually lead to the death and reduced diversity of beneficial organisms that thrive where the affected plants and fruits are. The result would be the survival of only a relatively fewer species of plants and beneficial organisms, thus making harmful insects easily develop resistance to these plants and beneficial organisms. Ultimately, the consequence of all these is the use of more insecticides, whose end result is none other than agricultural pollution (Increasing Herbicide Use, 2012). Agricultural pollution, if left unchecked and unmanaged, will definitely cause danger to the environment. These chemical fertilizers run off the fields and go into the nearby water systems used for drinking and for washing up. The chemicals in these water systems will generate the blooming of organisms that consume and deplete the oxygen supply of the entire ecosystem. This will not only disrupt the ecosystem but will also definitely kill the fishes and other beneficial aquatic animals that are supposed to share the oxygen supply. In the United States, this is what happens to the coastal fisheries nearby Mississippi and this phenomenon is also the one responsible for the formation of the large “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. This refers to an area that can never adequately support any form of aquatic life (Hidden Costs of Industrial Agriculture, 2008). Perhaps, the worst part of the damage done to the farm ecosystem and to its biotic components is the economic costs that such damage entails. These economic costs would usually include the health-related and medical-related costs concerning the diseases that are brought about by these harmful chemical pesticides to the human health. Other costs would also include the purchase of various insecticides and herbicides to counter insects and weeds especially in monoculture farms, where the insect or pest population is relatively more numerous. Moreover, the high energy requirements and water supply of very large farms as well as those of industrial agriculture in general are also among the hidden costs of this business. Lastly, the repair of the aquatic environments where the chemical pesticides have led themselves to will also entail a huge financial cost on the part of those concerned (Hidden Costs of Industrial Agriculture, 2008). Moreover, according to Clay (2004), there are various other human ways that somehow aggravate agricultural pollution. These include leaky irrigation systems, cultivation of thirsty crops that are not suited to the farm environment, and wasteful field application methods. These negative human practices add up to the chemical pollution caused by excessive insecticide use. However, according to a report by the World Wildlife Fund, the worst of these problems is the planting of “thirsty” crops, and among these are sugar cane, rice wheat and cotton. In fact, these four crops consume 58% of the world’s irrigation supply, with one kilogram of rice needing 3,000 to 5,000 liters of water just to produce it (Clay, 2004). These plants suck underground water sources dry, thus increasing the salinity of the soil and in the process destroying its quality. When the quality of the soil is destroyed, it cannot anymore support plant life and this means reduced food supply for the beneficial animals or organisms as well. These problems are also regarded as major causes of agricultural pollution. Solutions One solution to the problem of agricultural pollution is crop rotation. Crop rotation is the answer to the widespread application of monoculture in numerous large farms in America. With crop rotation, pests which are selective of their host plants will be prevented from developing into a huge population. Moreover, the diversity of crops will be beneficial for the consumption of all the chemicals of the fertilizer especially nitrogen, which the corn plant does not consume and which harms the rivers into which this nitrogen component accumulate (Expanding Monoculture, 2012). Another solution to the problem of agricultural pollution is the government regulation and control of the large insecticide companies. It is a fact that fertilizer and pesticide manufacturers as well as other agri-business giants benefit so much from monoculture practices and do not therefore take account of the health and societal costs that are brought about by the environmental pollution resulting from the use of these pesticides, herbicides and insecticides. Moreover, there is also a need for the government to carefully and completely assess the costs of monoculture and of negative industrial agricultural practices such as the economic costs of the damage to fisheries, the cleanup of aquatic ecosystems and surface water, and the health risks of human workers in farms who are exposed to pesticides and other forms of chemicals (Hidden Costs of Industrial Agriculture, 2008). Moreover, since government policies in the United States concerning the planting of crops in very large farms somehow strongly favor monoculture, there is therefore a need for Congress to evaluate the matter more carefully (Altieri, 2000). This should be done by formulating better laws on environmental protection of farmlands and nearby water reservoirs. The policies that should be made by the lawmakers should be those that promote crop rotation as well as the regulation and control of agri-business giants that promote the sale and use of insecticides for monocultures. If the marketing activities of these businesses are regulated, somehow there is a chance that insecticide use will be reduced. Pesticide use should really be regulated. In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, one should “resort to pesticides only when pest damage exceeds an economic or aesthetic threshold,” but it is the government itself that should be responsible in defining such a threshold (Crop Production, 2012). Nevertheless, as long as large-scale farmers practice monoculture, then there will always be a never ending need to consume large amounts of insecticides and fertilizers, and agricultural pollution will remain as an ever growing threat not only against the stability of the farm and aquatic ecosystems but also against the health of citizens exposed to the fertilizer and pesticide fumes or those consuming affected fruits and vegetables. In fact, water with agricultural chemical pollutants may actually cause typhoid fever, viral hepatitis, paratyphoid fever, esophageal cancer, gullet cancer, liver cancer and infant deaths (Chapter 1: Introduction to Agricultural Water Pollution, 2013). The gravity of the agricultural pollution is also one reason why there should be strong cooperation between urban and rural social movements and organizations that promote an economically viable and environment-friendly agriculture (Altieri, 2000). New policy changes can only take effect if there is considerable support from large, organized groups of concerned citizens. Therefore, as what Altieri (2000) contends, “”Ecological change in agriculture cannot be promoted without comparable changes in the social, political, cultural and economic arenas that also conform to agriculture,” and that through urban and rural organizations of concerned citizens, this can be achieved, although only gradually. The cultural aspect of agricultural is one thing that really deserves much attention and change if agricultural pollution has to be stopped. In order to do this, civic organizations should try to promote environmental awareness not only among farmers but also among consumers of crops especially those crops grown from monocultures. Everyone concerned should be informed exactly about how harmful monoculture is and what the advantages and benefits of crop rotation are. Moreover, regarding the issues on negative agricultural practices raised by Clay (2004), what is therefore necessary is simply a commitment to using environment-friendly farming practices in order to avoid unnecessary and undesirable consequences. From the previously mentioned information by Clay (2004), leaky irrigation systems should therefore be fixed and should be checked for quality control all the time. Moreover, field application methods must be regulated and it must be made sure that they conform to basic standard operating procedures in order to avoid wasting water. There should also be a guided decision-making process if “thirsty” crops like rice, wheat, cotton or sugar cane should be planted at a large scale in order to properly anticipate the crops’ need for water supply. Without such preparation, these crops have the natural general tendency to consume all the water available in the soil, thus destroying soil pH and eventually harming the vegetation around them. Another solution, and one which has indirect but very beneficial results, is to conduct further research on the matter. A June 2013 report from Michigan State University states that the National Science Foundation granted a $1.46 million project in order to “analyze soil, crop and climate conditions” in 75 corn farms in Midwestern United States, as well as conduct interviews and surveys with farmers and farm owners (Henion & Stuart, 2013). Although the project seeks to end or reduce agricultural pollution, it also aims at finding out the factors that influence farmers when adopting particular agricultural methods as well as purchasing this or that fertilizer or insecticide. This is the only way through which a significant and beneficial change can be effected. Call to Action If the government and the various concerned social groups do not act promptly, there will not only be numerous farms that will not anymore be able to support any kind of crop – there will also be more and more people dying of cancer and diseases coming from exposure to pesticides. The problem is clear and the solutions are feasible. Nevertheless, everything has to start with a sense of initiative. Truly, the problem on agricultural pollution is more than just an environmental problem but it is actually a social, political and cultural challenge not only for the government and the environmental organizations, but also for each concerned citizen as well. It does not therefore matter if one is a farmer who directly produces the vegetables and crops or whether one is an urban consumer of these plant foods. What matters is that each one and every American is affected by agricultural pollution, and although the effects are not felt now, they will definitely be in the near future if we do not take the necessary steps. If we want America to be the model of democracy, then we should first try to show the rest of the world that, above all, we can provide ourselves with good and healthy food. References Altieri, M. A. (2000). Modern Agriculture: Ecological impacts and the possibilities for truly sustainable farming. Agroecology in action. Retrieved from http://nature.berkeley.edu/~miguel-alt/modern_agriculture.html. Chapter 1: Introduction to Agricultural Water Pollution. (2013). Food and Agriculture Organization. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/w2598e/w2598e04.htm. Clay, J. (2004). Thirsty crops cause water shortages and pollution. World Wildlife Fund Global. Retrieved from http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/about_freshwater/freshwater_problems/thirsty_crops/. Crop Production. (2012). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ag101/printcrop.html Expanding Monoculture. (2012). Union of Concerned Scientists. Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/our-failing-food-system/genetic-engineering/expanding-monoculture.html. Henion, A. & Stuart, D. (2013, June 3). Using Science to Address Farm Pollution. Michigan State University. Retrieved from http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/using-science-to-address-farm-pollution/. Hidden Costs of Industrial Agriculture. (2008). Union of Concerned Scientists. Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/our-failing-food-system/industrial-agriculture/hidden-costs-of-industrial.html. Increasing Herbicide Use. (2012). Union of Concerned Scientists. Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/our-failing-food-system/genetic-engineering/increasing-herbicide-use.html. Read More